Significance[edit]

Monument for the Battle of Salamis,Kynosoura peninsula, Salamis Island, Greece

The Battle of Salamis marked the turning point in the Greco-Persian wars.[90] After
Salamis, the Peloponnesus, and by extension Greece as an entity, was safe from
conquest; and the Persians suffered a major blow to their prestige and morale (as well as
severe material losses).[135] At the following battles of Plataea and Mycale, the threat of
conquest was removed, and the Allies were able to go on the counter-offensive. [136] The
Greek victory allowed Macedon to revolt against Persian rule; and over the next 30
years, Thrace, the Aegean Islands and finally Ionia would be removed from Persian
control by the Allies, or by the Athenian-dominated successor, the Delian League.
[137]

Salamis started a decisive swing in the balance of power toward the Greeks, which

would culminate in an eventual Greek victory, severely reducing Persian power in the
Aegean.[138]
Like the Battles of Marathon and Thermopylae, Salamis has gained something of a
'legendary' status (unlike, for instance, the more decisive Battle of Plataea), perhaps
because of the desperate circumstances and the unlikely odds.[4] A significant number of
historians have stated that Salamis is one of the most significant battles in human history
(though the same is often stated of Marathon).[2][85][98][100] In a more extreme form of this
argument, some historians argue that if the Greeks had lost at Salamis, the ensuing
conquest of Greece by the Persians would have effectively stifled the growth of Western
Civilization as we know it.[139] This view is based on the premise that much of modern
Western society, such as philosophy, science, personal freedom and democracy are
rooted in the legacy of Ancient Greece.[4] Thus, this school of thought argues that, given
the domination of much of modern history by Western Civilization, Persian domination of
Greece might have changed the whole trajectory of human history.[2] It is also worth
mentioning that the celebrated blossoming of hugely influential Athenian culture occurred
only after the Persian wars were won.[140][141][142]
Militarily, it is difficult to draw many lessons from Salamis, because of the uncertainty
about what actually happened. Once again the Allies chose their ground well in order to
negate Persian numbers, but this time (unlike Thermopylae) had to rely on the Persians
launching an unnecessary attack for their position to count.[91] Since it brought about that

attack, perhaps the most important military lesson is to be found in the use of deception
by Themistocles to bring about the desired response from the enemy.[91]